Selected Electrical Incidents and Occurrences in Canada
Second Quarter - April to June, 2008
Date Program Location Incident Description
Fatalities:
May 29th Construction Hamilton Journeyman electrician was working on lighting circuit, made
contact with energized conductor.
Critical Injuries:
April 30th Construction Toronto Roofing company worker was moving roof-mounted HVAC
unit. Made contact with electrical wires, lost consciousness.
Worker taken to hospital, voltage of wires not given.
May 26th Construction Toronto Project was removal of furnace A/C unit from roof of building.
During the process, a worker made contact with 600 volt
energized wire, lost consciousness for a short time. Worker
taken to hospital then released the same day.
May 30th Industrial Toronto Workers dismantling an electrical panel, panel blew up.
One worker had burns to about 50% of his body, other worker
had burns to face and right hand.
June 17th
Industrial Brampton Worker using scissor lift to repair light fixtures. Received an
electrical shock, had burn injuries to both hands. Voltage of
light fixtures not given.
June 17th
Construction
Prescott Worker carrying a ladder, made contact with hydro wire.
Was knocked unconscious for a short time, taken to hospital
for observation. Voltage of overhead line not given.
Non-Critical Injuries:
April 2nd Construction Mississauga Worker received a shock while disconnecting a machine.
No other details of event given.
April 3rd Construction Midland Worker installing a signpost, hit buried 2400 volt cable.
Worker taken to hospital, extent of injuries not given.
April 11th Industrial Strathroy Worker received a shock when touched the metal part of some
scaffolding. Details of object energizing scaffold not given.
April 11th Construction Toronto Worker trying to reset power at temporary power distribution
unit. While resetting the breaker, worker touched panel
enclosure, received a shock.
April 11th Industrial Toronto Electrical apprentice running electrical wires, grabbed one of
the live ones by mistake. Has deep burn on one hand.
April 13th Industrial Campbellford Worker working in electrical panel, arc happened. Worker
received burns to his hands, drove himself to the hospital.
April 18th Industrial Kenora Worker on hydro pole, electrical arc hit pole. Arc came down
pole to a spike in the pole, went to worker’s hand from spike.
Worker climbed down pole himself, was taken to hospital for
observation then released. Overhead line voltage was 14.4 kV,
worker was in the “safety zone” as per procedures.
April 22nd Industrial Brantford Worker contacted 600 volts, taken to hospital. No other
details of event given.
April 25th Construction Ottawa Worker made contact with 347 volt conductors, taken to
hospital. Details of work being done at the time not given.
May 14th Industrial Vaughan Flashing light on electric “QuickCart” was not working.
Worker tried to fix problem himself, received shock from cart
power supply. Worker shaken up, taken to hospital.
May 16th Industrial Vaughan Worker connecting battery for charge. Had electrical contact,
received burns to both hands and brief loss of vision.
June 5th Mining Sudbury Worker was on a swing stage, stage was being lowered at the
time. Worker made electrical contact on his lower leg, no
details given on the source of the current.
June 11th Industrial Dundas Worker touched a live wire with his finger, has burn mark on
tip of left middle finger. No other details given of event.
June 13th Industrial Toronto Worker was using an electric welder. Made sure unit was off,
then walked between unit and building steel. Received a
shock, taken to hospital for observation. No information given
on source of the electrical energy.
June 17th Construction Tiverton Worker received a tingle from contact with the filament of a
broken light bulb. GFCI on the circuit tripped. Worker had
slight redness on skin of upper arm.
June 19th Industrial Sault Ste. Marie Worker using a floor buffer, received a shock when he went to
move the cord. Worker taken to hospital then released.
June 22nd Mining Dubreuilville Lightning hit a blasting cable, setting off the blast prematurely.
One worker had numbness in his ears from the blast.
June 26th Industrial Vaughan Worker using a metal lathe, received a shock. Worker taken to
hospital, had difficulty breathing.
June 30th Construction Hamilton Worker received a shock from energized wires. Details of
` work being done at the time, and the voltage of the wires was
not given.
Powerline Contacts – No Injuries:
April 3rd `Industrial Hamilton Contact made with 240 volt cable, no other details given.
April 7th Construction Brampton 16 kV buried cables severed, equipment not specified.
April 7th Construction West Gwillimbury Excavator contacted overhead 48 kV power line.
Township
April 8th Construction Oakville Contractor had proper locates, still hit a 120 volt cable.
April 8th Industrial Etobicoke Truck being moved while boom was extended, 600 volt
cable contacted.
April 10th Construction Ottawa Large shovel made contact with buried cable, voltage not
given.
April 14th Construction Alliston Dump truck passing under overhead lines, box caught neutral
of line. Line voltage not given.
April 14th Construction Oakville Sign being pounded into ground, post hit buried cable.
April 14th Construction Richmond Large shovel dug into primary buried cable, severing it.
April 16th Construction Toronto Worker drilling through concrete, hit 240 volt cable.
April 17th Construction Winchester Worker using auger, hit 600 volt cable. Locates not
accurate.
April 18th Construction Thunder Bay Contractor felling and removing trees, contacted buried
240 volt cable.
April 18th Construction Thunder Bay Crew dug up a de-energized buried cable. Locates had been
done, did not pick up the de-energized cable.
April 19th Mining Sudbury Worker cut into cable, tool contacted 110 volt conductor.
No electrical contact by worker himself.
April 23rd Construction Kingston Backhoe pulled up primary cable.
April 24th Construction Ottawa Electrical contact made, no other details given.
May 5th Construction Hamilton Contact made with buried 240 volt cable, no other details
of event given.
May 6th Construction Stoney Creek Driver hit utility pole, no other details of event given.
May 9th Industrial Hamilton Contact made with 240 volt buried cable, no other details
of event given.
May 12th Construction Stouffville Digging at intersection, hit buried cable. Voltage of cable
not given.
May 13th Construction Thunder Bay Cutting concrete floor, hit 208 volt cable. No locates or floor
scan done.
May 14th Construction Tecumseh Trenching equipment hit buried primary cable. Locates had
been done, still hit the cable.
May 15th Construction Burlington Excavator being serviced, boom contacted overhead power
line, voltage of line not given.
May 20th Construction Dundas Contact made with 240 volt overhead line, no other details
of event given.
May 20th Construction Southampton Boring a trench, severed a 240 volt buried cable.
May 21st Industrial Crystal Beach Crane being used to remove tree limbs, one limb hit
hydro wires.
May 22nd Construction Thunder Bay Power line contacted, no other details given.
May 22nd Construction Brampton Backhoe hit buried 16 kV cable.
May 23rd Construction St. Catharines Contact made with 240 volt buried cable, no other details
of event given
May 23rd Construction Sarnia Forklift being used to move scaffolding components, during
one of the moves a piece of scaffolding hit an electrical
conduit. Voltage of cable in conduit not given.
May 27th Mining Cambridge Raised box of haulage truck hit neutral of power line,
broke the conductor.
May 28th Construction Peterborough Excavator backing up, hit overhead lines and snapped a
pole.
May 28th Construction London Worker using post-hole digger, hit buried 4 kV cable. Locates
were 2 months old, lines had faded.
May 29th Construction Tiverton Worker’s tool made contact with 110 volt cable. No info
given on work being done at the time.
May 30th Farming Hudson Tractor doing spraying, arm of sprayer hit hydro line.
Township Voltage of line not given.
May 30th Construction Mississauga Truck backing up, hit hydro pole. Wires knocked off top of
pole.
May 30th Construction Marmora Residential service line hit, no other details given.
June 2nd Construction Stoney Creek Contact made with 240 volt cable, no other details given.
June 2nd Construction Clifford Truck hit guy wire for pole, shaking caused lines to touch and
breaker to trip.
June 2nd Construction Aylmer Excavator dug up a 16 kV buried cable.
June 3rd Industrial Wellesley Dump truck hit overhead power line, voltage not given.
June 7th Construction Thunder Bay Excavator hit electrical pole, snapped it off.
June 7th Construction Cambridge Worker using an aauger, cut the 240 volt buried cable to a
residence. No locates.
June 11th Construction Niagara Falls Contact made with powerline, no other details of event given.
June 12th Construction Richmond Hill Backhoe contacted 27.6 kV buried cable.
June 12th Construction Mississauga Worker cut through conduit with SAWSALL, cable inside
conduit was still energized at 347 volts. Fortunately, just had
to replace the blade on the saw.
June 13th Industrial Hamilton Crane boom hit 13 kV overhead powerline.
June 16th Construction Toronto Trolley of tower crane went to end of boom, hit power line.
June 16th Industrial Belleville Raised box of dumptruck hit powerline.
June 17th Industrial Sarnia Front end loader pushed some trees into the powerline.
June 18th Industrial Hamilton Contact made with overhead 240 volt cable, no other details
given.
June 19th Construction Ottawa Boom truck contacted overhead power lines, voltage of lines
not given.
June 19th Construction Cornwall Contact made with buried cable, no other details given.
June 20th Construction Cambridge Worker sawing through roof, hit electrical conduit holding a
110 volt cable.
June 20th Construction Port Elgin Backhoe hit 240 volt buried cable. No locates.
June 23rd Construction Port Elgin Forklift being used to try to tow a stuck vehicle. Mast of
forklift contacted neutral of overhead line, tore it down.
June 23rd Construction Hamilton Raised box of dump truck hit residential overhead line.
June 25th Construction King City Excavator contacted buried power line, Voltage of line
not given.
June 25th Construction Sault Ste Marie Truck pulled down the BELL cable and the cable TV lines.
Poles shook, power outage occurred.
June 26th Construction Belleville Event classified as electrical occurrence, no other details
given.
June 26th Construction Hamilton Contact made with overhead 240 volt line, no other details
given.
June 26th Construction Trenton Contractor doing pipeline work, knocked down an overhead
line.
June 27th Construction Hamilton Worker nicked a buried cable, equipment involved not given.
June 27th Construction Kitchener Contractor hit 14 kV line, blew the fuses. Details of
equipment involved not given.
June 27th Construction Ajax Workers doing core drilling, drill contacted 120 volt cable.
Floor had been scanned, scan said area was clear of electrics.
Electrical Equipment – No Injuries:
April 30th Construction Tiverton “An electrician for ***** Construction was carrying a
cable, stripped at both ends through the service area
doorway. One side of the wire was held back on the
doorway and sprung forward permitting the ground wire
to enter the lower ventilation grid of a 600 to 208/120 step
down transformer making contact with one of the 600V
phases. No injuries.”
The above is the event description as given to the MOL.
Honest.
May 6th Mining Sudbury Worker was washing down a second level deck, noticed flames
at a receptacle on the floor below him.
Water and electricity – not a good mix.
DATA SUMMARY - Second Quarter
Fatals: Criticals: Non-criticals: Powerline Electrical
Contacts: Equipment:
2008 1 5 19 65 2
2007 2 7 23 74 1
2006 3 5 30 53 1
2005 4 9 17 60 0
2004 3 4 16 48 0
2003 3 7 25 39 0
2002 1 9 17 28 1
2001 1 13 12 32 2
2000 2 5 22 34 1
1999 2 9 22 32 0
1998 2 4 17 30 0
And Finally…..
Nothing sufficiently off-the-wall this quarter to be included here, although the worker who thought he could stop a free-wheeling truck going down a slope by jumping in front of it was a close contender. Stay tuned.
Information taken from Ontario Ministry of Labour MIS database
Report prepared: August 27, 2008
Assembled by: Mike Reiser, P. Eng.,
Engineer,
PSS-Kitchener District
E-Mail: mike.reiser@mol.gov.on.ca